Mto Wa Mbu Village
Tanzania Travel Guide

© Simon Bloomhill
Looking for a convenient stopover on the Northern Safari Circuit in Tanzania? Look no further than Mto Wa Mbu Village. You'll find authentic cultural interaction, great tours and Lake Manyara National Park on your doorstep.

Mto Wa Mbu Village offers a very rare experience for visitors! Around 120 tribes reside in the village - it's a cross-cultural melting pot with probably the most exotic mix of languages and customs found anywhere in Tanzania. When you enjoy a visit to the village you'll be in the heart of the Northern Safari Circuit in Tanzania, so time spent here will be a welcome respite from your safari activities.

Mto Wa Mbu Village is very close to Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Park in the Great Rift Valley. The village is surrounded by magnificent scenery and situated on the main road which leads to the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater and Conservation Area.

Cultural Programme and Eco-Tourism

Mto Wa Mbu Village has a very active cultural programme that seeks to show visitors the traditional way of life of the villagers through various activities and also a range of community projects that are in place. You can visit top spots in the area, taste Tanzanian foods and experience authentic cultural interaction.

A small fee is charged for each activity which is then used to support income-generating projects such as the production of energy-efficient stoves and the development of irrigation systems. Students will find the village and its people to be a great resource for information on Tanzania. Everyday topics can be explored as well as more complex subjects like politics, history and culture, wildlife and legends.

There are a number of excellent walking, hiking and biking tours offered in the village ranging in length from a couple of hours to a full day (bikes can be hired in the village):
 

  • Village Tour - try banana beer, visit a traditional home, learn about Makonde carving
  • Village Lunch - enjoy a home-cooked meal the traditional way
  • Farm Visit - discover what the villagers grow and how they do it
  • Maasai Tour - visit a traditional boma (enclosure), interact with tribal members in various activities
  • Maasai Market -weekly market on Thursday afternoons or the monthly market on the 22nd
  • Balaa Hill - this is a climb up the Rift Valley Wall for magnificent views and good birding
  • Miwaleni Lake and Waterfall - see ancient Baobab trees and swim in the pool below the falls
  • Lake Manyara - bike through a wildlife corridor to the shores of the lake

Wildlife

Mto Wa Mbu Village is located in the midst of 2 wildlife corridors - age old paths that animals use for migration. Animals commonly seen in the area include Elephant, Hippo, Giraffe, Wildebeest, Zebra and Gazelle as well as Monkey and Baboon. The Big Five can also be seen in nearby national parks.

Accommodation

There is a variety of accommodation to choose from in the village including a classic lodge and a neat camping site.

Where is Mto Wa Mbu Village?

The village is located in Northern Tanzania 120km (74 miles) away from the town of Arusha, by tarred road. There is regular bus transport between the village and Arusha or visitors can fly-in to Lake Manyara airstrip. The main water sources in the area are the Mahamoud, Kirurumu and Magadini Rivers.
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